


Discipline

by wildcranberry



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: 2018 Winter Olympics, Ice Skating, M/M, Puzzleshipping, Winter Olympics AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-03-21 03:10:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13731882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildcranberry/pseuds/wildcranberry
Summary: Winter Olympics AUMokuba threw his hands up in protest. “Everyoneis talking about Yugi Mutou!” He exclaimed.“I refuse to believe that anyone talks about figure skating,” Seto responded dryly.“He’s going to win gold in every event,” Mokuba told them in a rush. Atem hid a small smile as he crossed his arms. Oh, he knew who Yugi Mutou was. The audacious nineteen year old had competed in a national championship wearing a very…revealingDark Magician Girl costume. It had taken the internet almost a week to recover.





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> **The over-the-top Winter Olympics AU (some of you) asked for.**

“Atta boy, Yuug!” Jounouchi whooped and hollered as the throng of people moving around them pushed and elbowed their way through the crowded hall of the airport. Yugi could barely make out the enormous hanging banner Jou was gesturing at since he had covered his face in embarrassment while athletes craned around to get a good look at the commotion the blonde was causing. Yugi peaked through the cracks between in his fingers, cringing up at the two story display that had his own face emblazoned across it.

He’d seen the thing on paper, he’d even approved the image for it. But witnessing his own features staring back at him from the colossal Winter Olympics advertisement hanging in the airport terminal was something else entirely. A pair of skates hung off his shoulder where they had placed him in front of a generic patriotic background. “Oh my god,” Yugi squeaked as he covered his eyes once more. “This can’t be real!”

Jounouchi Katsuya laughed, clapping Yugi on the back so forcefully the shorter boy almost toppled over. Jou caught him by the back of his heavy jacket as he stumbled, dragging him back upright. “Sorry, mate!” Jou grinned sheepishly. “Gotta watch yourself.”

“Jou! You’re making a scene,” Yugi moaned as he adjusted the thick strap on his oversized duffel that weighed almost as much as he did. The crowd chattered away as it moved around them, a vibrant mix of languages echoing in the space. Off in the distance someone began to shout excitedly about something or other, though Yugi’s meager height left him unable to see much beyond the pack directly in front of him.

“Cmon,” Jou said as he swung his own bag onto his other shoulder. Here and there people were snapping photos, some more subtly than others. Jou laid a hand across Yugi’s back, steering them away from the banner and towards the masses queuing around the escalators that led down to the main floor below.

Jou scratched at the patchy stubble on his chin as they continued making their way through the airport crowd, shaking his signature shaggy blonde hair out of his face as they went. A couple of foreign girls giggled and began to talk amongst themselves in rapid hushed tones as they passed, one of them blushing furiously. _Members of Jounouchi’s fanclub_ , Yugi deduced. Jou winked in their direction, and one of them shouted out to them in what might have been Japanese.

Yugi coughed into his hand when they reached the tumult of athletes impatiently pushing towards the escalators. “Good to see it’s not going to your head,” he murmured. He wasn’t jealous. _Well, sort of_. The throngs of adoring women weren’t really his thing, but sometimes he was a little envious that he was so easily overlooked in the shadow of his best friend who just happened to be rising fast as an internationally ranked snowboarder. Figure skating just didn’t sell as many sexy American magazine covers. Yet.

They finally shuffled onto the escalator and Yugi’s stomach flipped over when he spotted the substantial crowd of photographers and reporters holding up the various exits. “Quit freaking out, Yuug.” Jou grinned as he squeezed Yugi’s shoulder.

“I’m not freaking out,” Yugi insisted as he ran his fingers through his unruly hair. He was a recently crowned world champion. There was nothing his first Olympics could throw at him that he wasn’t ready for. It was just another competition. _Right?_

“For fucks sake,” Jou cursed. Yugi looked up abruptly over the railing in the direction the blonde was glaring and paused. Easily three times the size of Yugi’s own advertisement, Seto Kaiba’s face scowled down at them from an entire wall. “The nerve of the prick,” Jou continued as if the existence of the display was a personal insult on behalf of the fastest skier in the world.

“We’re on the same team now,” Yugi pointed out as he smoothed his hands gently over the front of his Team USA jacket.

“Kaiba isn’t on any team but his own,” Jou griped. Yugi gave a little roll of his eyes as his friend insisted on airing his long standing grudge for the tenth time that day. “Smug bastard,” Jou muttered as he shot the display one last dirty look when they neared the bottom of the escalator.

When they reached the landing they were still packed in with hundreds of unfamiliar athletes, many of whom towered over Yugi as Jou steered them through the crowd. When they passed through the doors, Yugi pulled the collar of his jacket up over his face. The ice-cold wind whipping up around them. Fresh snowflakes glimmered in a dazzling display where they floated in the afternoon sun.

Cabs and shuttles painted with unfamiliar characters honked and lurched as they jockeyed for position along the curb. The mountain air filled Yugi’s chest as he grinned at the scene. He gripped the edge of his skates through the material of his bag with his hand, doing his best to commit the feeling to memory. It would be over all too soon.

Yugi briefly thought he heard someone call his name before he was engulfed in a flurry of brown hair and a familiar embrace. “Anzu!” Yugi giggled as he returned the hug in full force. His fellow Team USA skater stepped back, positively glowing.

“Look at you two!” She giggled before gesturing to the chaos around them. “We made it!” Yugi nodded, an emotional swell rising in his throat.

“Your first Olympics,” Anzu beamed as she gripped Yugi by the shoulders. “How do you feel?” She asked.

Yugi swallowed. “It’s… overwhelming,” he admitted. “In a good way. Is it always this… big?” He asked. She nodded, squeezing him tight once again.

Anzu turned to say something to Jou but her words were lost in the noise as a new commotion roared around them. People were calling out and the crowd swelled, pushing the three of them off the curb momentarily as the chaos seemed to part in the wake of something Yugi couldn’t see. Without warning Anzu nudged him knowingly, jerking her head slightly towards a break forming in the mass of reporters.

A second later Yugi realized what she was on about. Stepping down from the curb was the most decorated snowboarder of all time. The man who had inspired Jou’s first trips to the halfpipe when he and Yugi had just been kids with big dreams. The athlete’s striking features and beautifully tanned skin stood out among his competitors, though his provocative style and unusual crop of hair would have done that anyway.

The lithe man moved through the crowd of media vying for his attention, shielding his face against the flash of the cameras with one hand. Several gold rings glinted against his skin in the light, people cheering and shouting his name from all directions as he stepped towards an awaiting car and gave a small wave to the crowd. Yugi let out of puff of air he hadn’t realised he had been holding in. Atem Sennen was the undisputed gold-medal favorite, Jou’s biggest rival, and the secret subject of Yugi’s wildest sexual fantasies.

 

* * *

 

“What a waste of time,” Kaiba muttered as he barely glanced over the familiar blonde dropping into one of the practice halfpipes from the secluded balcony where they sat in observation. Jounouchi had come into his run slightly too fast, and he scraped heavily on his first transition though his recovery was good.

“Don’t be so harsh, Seto.” Atem murmured over the top of the steaming cup of tea he held to his lips. “He has good instincts, and is rapidly improving.” The Egyptian’s dark eyes carefully followed the American’s height as he threw his expected switch-stance trick. The setting sun would make tracking the edge of the pipe particularly difficult. It certainly wasn’t an ideal time to get in a few practice runs, but with the halfpipe qualifier opening the games Atem could hardly blame them.

“You finished twenty points ahead of that deadbeat last month, he doesn’t stand a chance.” Seto responded without looking up from the laptop screen he was so deeply engrossed in.

“He’s still a teenager,” Atem reminded his friend. He winced as Jounouchi bottomed out particularly aggressively at the end of his final trick.

“Spare me the humility,” Kaiba drawled. He was still, as ever, glued to his statistics. “How many medals did you have at his age?” Atem failed to prevent a twitch of his lips as he took another sip of his strong brew. It was delicious but still wasn’t quite enough to ward off the sharp chill of the air around them.

“Well,” Atem paused for emphasis as he twirled one of his long bangs lazily around one finger. “That was different.”

“He’s a third-rate snowboarder with a fourth-rate run.” Seto dismissed as his fingers flew across the keyboard. Atem bit back his retort, well versed in the pointlessness of arguing with the brunette.

The glass door to the balcony slid open, and Atem turned to see the younger Kaiba bounce through the gap. His long black hair was barely contained by an oversized red beanie. “Mokie!” Atem grinned. “Where have you been?”

“Went down to watch them practice,” Mokuba huffed as he pulled off his mittens. “But it’s way too cold!” He whined before shamelessly swiping Atem’s half drunk tea from the table.

“Manners,” Seto cut in without looking up from his screen.

“Sorry,” Mokuba apologized half-heartedly while Atem waved it off. The boy looked particularly diminutive in an oversized down jacket.

“How are they doing down there?” Atem asked curiously as his view of the halfpipe had been mostly obscured by the setting sun.

“Nothing special,” Mokuba shrugged. “Only a few of them tried to get a run in.” Atem could make out the distant outlines of athletes and staff as they wrapped up for the day. He knew what that was like. The crushing anxiety of your first Olympics. The youngest competitors would spend every minute obsessing over all the details and squeezing out every bit of practice until the big moment came.

“I was hoping Motou would be there but it was just Katsuya,” Mokuba pouted as he finished off Atem’s tea with a loud slurp.

“Enough with the dweeb patrol,” Seto cut in as he snapped his laptop shut. He sat back and crossed his arms, scowling.

Mokuba threw his hands up in protest. “ _Everyone_ is talking about Yugi Motou!” He exclaimed.

“I refuse to believe that anyone talks about figure skating,” Seto responded dryly.

“He’s going to win gold in every event,” Mokuba told them in a rush. Atem hid a small smile as he crossed his arms. Oh, he knew who Yugi Motou was. The audacious nineteen year old had competed in a national championship wearing a very… _revealing_ Dark Magician Girl costume. It had taken the internet almost a week to recover.

“I’ll be impressed when he has eight,” Seto drawled. He looked utterly bored with the topic.

Mokuba turned to Atem. “Tell him to stop being so unreasonable,” he whined.

“I will attempt no such thing,” Atem smiled. He stood, patting Mokuba on the top of the head as he went. “That’s on you, kid.”

“Where are you going?” Mokuba asked as he turned in his seat, pouting slightly. Atem stretched slowly, arching his back. He winked at the younger Kaiba.

“Gym,” Atem replied as he moved towards the door. He twisted his recently acquired clearance badge around his fingers. It was time for him to take on his own pre-Olympic jitters the best way he knew how.

“Good luck!” Mokuba called after him. Atem gave the smaller Kaiba a two fingered salute as he stepped through the door, leaving the brothers to their endless squabbles.

 

* * *

 

Yugi stood in the silent hall, staring down the ramp towards the dark rink and the deserted stands stacked high. He took a deep breath, steeling himself before he began his way down the tunnel. His soft steps amplified in the empty arena. The chaos of their arrival and check-in had melted away, leaving Yugi to get his first glimpse of the the stage he’d been dreaming about for years.

When he reached the heavy railing embellished with the colorful logos of the games he paused. The smooth surface of the ice was untouched, waiting for the first team practice to begin the next morning. But Yugi couldn’t wait. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he had experienced it for the first time.

Yugi ignored the competitor’s boxes, moving down the first row of the stands and dropping his bag into an open seat. He sat down next to it and stilled his trembling hands across his knees. The soft material of his leggings soothing over his sensitive skin. He stared out across the dark rink, silent and unmoving. In a few days every last one of the lights hanging above him would be lit while the whole world watched. He took a deep breath.

He reached for his bag, dragging his equipment out from the carefully arranged contents. Yugi kicked off his shoes, pulling his black skates onto his feet. His fingers flew through the laces with practiced ease. This was his element. He stood, perfectly balanced on the gold blades. Yugi rolled and stretched his shoulders as he moved through his brief warm up routine. He pulled his fingers through his untamable hair as the moved towards the rink, doing his best to contain it up in a messy bun.

Yugi pushed out onto the Olympic ice, his blades cutting into the smooth surface. The swift movement and the rush of air melting Yugi’s nerves away. He hadn't brought any music. The sound of his skates gliding across the ice on his lap around the rink was everything that he needed. He pushed hard, twisting around as he shifted his crossover to take his next lap in reverse. Yugi took a deep breath before coming around the second rotation, throwing caution to the wind with a quadruple lutz.

An indescribable rush surged through him when his single blade touched down on the ice for his landing, gliding smoothly as Yugi’s muscles compensated for the impact. Yugi grinned, keeping his one leg perfectly parallel as he indulged in his finish. Yugi finally straightened and pumped his legs with a renewed enthusiasm, whipping past the empty stands as he gained speed.

_He was ready._

 

* * *

 

Atem was still breathing hard as he ran a towel over his damp face, groaning into the material. After weights he had ran until he found his stride, letting go of all of the stress and anxiety that had been building as his fourth Olympics loomed closer. There had been a few athletes in the gym, but not many since most of them who competed later would be walking in the opening ceremonies. It was one of the last quiet moments Atem would probably get.

He dropped his bag in the deserted locker room, heading for the showers. He stripped out of his sweaty clothes and snagged another towel as he went. He cranked one of the shower heads on, gritting his teeth when the cold water struck his flushed skin. Atem stood under the spray as long as he could stand it, icing his muscles and rinsing the grime from his workout down the drain.

After a few minutes he shut off the water. Atem died off and hastily pulled on his suit before heading towards the therapy pools. He pushed open the heavy door to the steam-filled room, letting out small hiss when the change in temperature engulfed him. The lighting in the room was dimmer than the locker room and Atem had to step carefully on the tile floor. He squinted in the low light, gripping the railing of the nearest tub as he stepped down into it.

The hot water of the pool stung his cooled skin, but Atem welcomed the feeling. He lowered himself into the water and sighed as it enveloped him. He opened his eyes and sucked in a long breath when his vision had adjusted enough to make out another figure in the room.  

 

* * *

 

Yugi had heard the door open but hadn’t paid too much attention to it as he lowered his forehead to his knee and wrapped his hands around his foot, extending his side split. He’d laid his mat down near one of the pools in the steam room. It wasn’t the hot yoga studio he was used to, but it would do just fine. The temperature lulled him into a peaceful calm as he pushed himself into increasingly difficult positions.

He looked up when he heard the small splash of someone entering the hot tub, blinking in surprise. A moment passed in silence. _Maybe he’d passed out again or fallen asleep_. That was really the only logical explanation for why a shirtless Atem Sennen was staring back at him, submerged up to his shoulders in the steaming water.

“I’m sorry,” the man chuckled. His thick foreign accent curled around the words and the rich sound sent a shiver straight through Yugi’s insides. “I did not mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not…” Yugi trailed off, hoping that the heat blooming across his face would be attributed to the temperature of the room. He’d certainly seen Atem before, having attended almost every event Jou had ever competed in. But he’d never been alone with him. _Let alone half-naked in a sauna_. He sat up and shook his head to clear his scattered thoughts. “No, you’re fine. I’m just winding down.”

“At 2am?” Atem asked. His lips twitched as he tipped his head back against the edge of the pool and closed his eyes. Yugi’s attention lingered on the outline of the snowboarder’s body while he could. Atem’s bare shoulders were broader and more muscular than he would have expected. Although Jou had also bulked up significantly in preparation for the competition.

“I guess so,” Yugi replied as he adjusted his position on the mat. He cursed himself for wearing the tiny spandex shorts that concealed nothing. “Time zones and all.” He pulled his leg in at the knee and started forming his next advanced pose. “What’s your excuse?”

Atem lifted his head and cracked an eye open. “Touché,” he responded evenly. “You didn’t want to walk?” He asked with a polite interest as he shook his damp bangs out of his very attractive face.

“I’m sure my roommate will tell me all about it,” Yugi said as he bent his back and stretched his arms behind his head.

“Jounouchi’s at the ceremony?” Atem asked, a genuine look of surprise crossing his features. A burst of warmth bloomed in Yugi’s stomach as the recognition confirmed Yugi’s suspicion that Atem at least knew who he was.

Yugi smiled and dropped his arms. “He likes to have fun.” It was true, Jou wouldn’t miss a party like that for anything. “Plus there’s this blonde girl on the bobsled team with huge boobs and that’s pretty much all he can think about right now,” Yugi added as an afterthought while he used his free hand to mime a large chest.

Atem burst into a short bark of laughter, shaking his head. “I remember my first Olympics,” he sighed after a moment. Yugi smiled, his foolish heart fluttering behind his ribcage. He arched himself all the way back to distract himself, grabbing the foot behind him and pulling it up until it touched the back of his head. He let out a slow breath as he held the position. A low whistle broke his focus.

Yugi glanced at Atem as he tensed. The older man had an odd expression on his face, one Yugi couldn't identify. Atem raised an eyebrow as Yugi relaxed and sank deeper into his stretch. “Don’t worry,” Yugi told him after a pause. “Jou can’t do it either.”

Atem coughed, passing over the bait. “What exactly _is_ that?” He asked.

“One-legged king pigeon pose if we’re being technical,” Yugi replied as he slowly released the position. “Though on ice it’s a Biellmann spin.”

“I’m impressed.” Atem told him, and he did genuinely look the part.

“It’s no backside quadruple cork, but it works.” Yugi teased as he eased back into his hamstring stretches.

Atem had the decency to look a little abashed. “I haven’t managed to land that one in competition yet,” he reminded Yugi. He already knew that much was true, but it was only a matter of time when it came to Atem Sennen. The man had won his first gold medal at only 16 and was still the favorite for the title now competing in his _fourth_ Olympics.

“Jou’s going to kill himself chasing your tricks, you know.” Yugi added. He smiled as he reached out towards his toes to show he meant no real harm by the comment.

“He’ll be fine,” Atem told him. The man leaned back in the water, propping his feet up on one of the benches as he floated gently. The outline of his defined stomach breaching the surface momentarily. “Jou’s problem isn’t control, he just isn’t comfortable with the height he’s throwing yet.”

Yugi pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. “Fair enough,” he responded. Atem lowered his feet, standing up in the pool. Yugi struggled to keep his eyes focused on the man’s face and not on the large amount of chest and… _body_ that was being slowly revealed. Atem moved slowly over the edge of the hot tub that was closest to where Yugi was, crossing his arms as he rested them on the tile.

“You should know,” he began with a playful look. Yugi had to fight the urge to shiver as the rich accent rolled off his tongue. “Mokuba Kaiba insists you’re going to win three medals this week, and he’s usually not wrong about that kind of thing.”

Yugi bit his lip, swallowing nervously. “Thanks,” he replied as he blushed. Seto Kaiba’s genius younger brother? He knew Atem and Seto were good friends after years spent dominating their perspective podiums, but they talked about that kind of thing? Yugi didn’t know if the feeling in his chest was pride or terror.

Atem smiled kindly at him in an almost lazy manner before pushing off the wall and grabbing the railing to the stairs. Yugi watched him go, wishing he could commit the sight of sinfully wet skin and long legs to memory. “ _Three medals…_ ” he whispered to himself as the door closed behind the Egyptian.

 

* * *

 

Yugi broke out into applause as Anzu landed her triple axel with a flourish. Ryou joining in next to him as Anzu flew past their seats with a triumphant smile. “Brilliant!” Ryou called out, giving her the thumbs up.

While they prepped for practice Yugi fiddled with the settings on the monitor he had set up, waiting for the live-stream to load. He wasn’t really worried about Jou in the halfpipe qualifying round, his friend thrived on opening day pressure. But Yugi would be damned if he missed his best friend’s Olympic debut. He figured he could do two things at once.

Yugi finished lacing up his skates as Anzu took another lap around the rink. They had chosen one of the smaller venues for their first practice since the Russian pairs teams were currently rehearsing some of the most daunting throws Yugi had ever seen attempted on the main stage. Yugi swung himself over the top of the barrier, gliding out towards the center of the ice as he heard Ryou’s skates touch down behind him over the chatter from the Olympic commentators as Jou’s event began streaming into the arena. The announcers were running through the lineup while Yugi performed a few quick laps to get his blood pumping.

“When is your boyfriend up?” Anzu asked with a playful twirl while she stretched out for a layback spin. Yugi rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to go pink as she teased him. He hadn’t told them about last night. He had barely been able to sleep after the incident. She and Ryou were certainly aware of his little crush, through they never brought it up around Jou.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Yugi quipped as they passed each other. He stuck his tongue out and she giggled. “Jou’s in good standing but Atem gets the final drop in since he’s leading points,” Yugi explained. Ryou broke into his step-sequence, showing off a little of his legendary footwork that made him the clear frontrunner for Team Great Britain.

“So Jou just has to place higher than a nine-time world champion for the best position in the finals?” Ryou asked as he finished his combination with a relaxed ease.

“Something like that,” Yugi grinned. Atem was a devastating force in the pipe and had the long and well-decorated career to prove it. But Jou brought just as much drive and energy to the stage and no one counted him out.

“Jou can do it,” Anzu praised as she spun past. “Just needs to work on his control.”

“Actually,” Yugi smiled as he kicked one leg up in the air while reaching down towards the ice. His charlotte was one of his most troublesome moves but he wasn’t giving up on the position quite yet. “Atem said his control wasn’t bad, and he should learn to reign in his height with time.”

Anzu stopped abruptly in the middle of her routine and spun around. Yugi did his best to look innocent, even though he was still staring up at her from his inverted position. “Oh?” She asked casually. “When exactly did he say that?”

“Your stance is crossed!” Ryou called out helpfully across the ice, interrupting them. Yugi cursed as he lowered his leg and stood back up.

Yugi glanced at the clock as Anzu approached him. “Where is Duke?” Yugi asked in an half-hearted attempt to change the subject.

“Probably still asleep,” Ryou commented as he crossed past them skating backwards. Yugi heard rather than saw him land a salchow behind them.

“Don’t change the subject!” Anzu protested as she reached him, crossing her arms over her chest. The snowboarding announcers were calling scores for the first few competitors in the background.

Yugi shrugged, pulling at his oversized shirt. “I may have met him,” Yugi admitted. “But it wasn’t anything!” He protested as Anzu clapped her hands in excitement.

“When did this happen?” She asked. They stood now in the middle of the rink, practice momentarily abandoned.

“Last night,” Yugi told her. “It was only for a minute.” Yugi pushed off from his position, gliding past Anzu who was still watching him closely. “And I thought we decided he was straight!” Yugi called back over his shoulder.

“Not a chance!” Anzu responded, moving to catch up to him as Yugi began to pick up speed again.

“Unlike Duke,” Yugi announced as he landed an impulsive double axel. “I didn’t come here to get laid.” Secretly, he was relieved that their playboy teammate had recently given up his notorious quest to bed Yugi. Duke wasn’t unattractive, just very much not his type.

“To be fair,” Anzu added as Yugi slowed. “Literally everyone hooks up at the Olympics.” Yugi snorted and opened his mouth to reply when they were interrupted by loud shouts and rapid commentary from the video stream.

**_—and just like that Jounouchi Katsuya goes down in his first attempt—_ **

Yugi turned just in time to catch the slow motion replay as Jou under-rotated his last trick down the pipe and came down hard on the lip of the halfpipe. His body collapsed, sending him tumbling down the edge as he slid towards the center.

“Oh no... ” Anzu gasped, her hands clapped over her mouth.

“C’mon Jou,” Yugi whispered. “Please get up.”

 

* * *

 

Yugi met Jou’s scowl across the empty table as the blonde adjusted the bag of ice he was holding to his bruised rib cage. Jounouchi winced at the movement, muttering something under his breath that Yugi didn’t catch. Jou had qualified for the final much to Yugi’s relief but his injury left him far below Atem’s top ranking, a bitter disappointment for his best friend. The final would take place the next day, which at least allowed Jou some time to recover. Nothing was broken luckily but it had been too close a call.

“Do you really need to be shirtless for that?” Duke asked as he pulled out the open chair next to Yugi at their table in the crowded dining hall.

“Shut up,” Jou snapped as he adjusted the ice again.

Yugi opened his mouth to intervene, but paused when he caught sight of a familiar mess of hair across the room. Atem Sennen was standing near the counter holding a half-eaten slice of toast and chatting enthusiastically with a tall blonde man and a lovely black haired woman. A boyfriend or a girlfriend maybe? They were both beautiful. They must have been Egyptian from what Yugi could faintly overhear of the rapid foreign language they spoke.

A large tray dropped onto their table, startling Yugi as Anzu appeared carrying plates ladened with bacon, eggs, and other tempting options. Anzu pushed a particularly large plate towards Jou with a pointed look. “You need to eat,” she told him. Jou opened his mouth to protest but she waved him off dismissively, turning to Yugi.

“How are you doing?” She asked, smiling gently.

“Good,” Yugi replied although his stomach was currently twisted up in knots. He picked at the sleeve of his oversized sweatshirt.

“I’m nervous too,” she admitted. “Somehow the team events are always worse.” Yugi knew the feeling. Both Yugi and Anzu had been chosen to represent Team USA in the team event that day, and the prospect of letting down more than his own reputation was daunting. Yugi’s short program was damn near flawless as long as he could land his most difficult jumps while the whole world was watching. No pressure.

“You’re gonna kill it, Yuug.” Jou said, looking a little sheepish as his mood seemed to lift. He picked up a fork and began digging into his eggs with gusto. Yugi wasn’t sure he could eat.

Yugi’s phone buzzed next to him, and he picked it up to see a message from his grandfather. He opened it, smiling when he realized it was a clumsy selfie that included half of Solomon’s face and an enthusiastic crew of friends and family packed into the Game Shop. Yugi felt tears start to sting at his eyes his throat tightened. His grandfather was unable to fly due to his heart condition, but his support still meant the world to Yugi.

Anzu rubbed his back as Yugi wiped at his eyes. He typed a quick message to his grandfather while she smiled at him. Yugi let out a long breath as he gathered his wits about him. He looked up at the table with a shaky grin. “I guess we’re doing this, huh?”

Jou whooped as he slammed his fist down on the table sending utensils flying. “Team USA, one gold medal coming right up.”

 

* * *

 

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Yugi groaned. He held his head in his hands, staring down at the floor under his seat. Anzu was still rubbing his back, keeping them low and shielding Yugi from the international cameras. She was still in her blue sequined dress and skates. She had placed third in the women’s short program with a beautiful routine and the second triple axel ever landed by a woman in an Olympic competition. Few athletes would risk going all out for the team event, choosing to preserve their best for individual competitions, but Anzu had done them all extremely proud.

“You’re going to be great,” Anzu told him. Yugi sat up slowly, squeezing her hand in thanks. “Jounouchi’s already threatened at least two of the judges for you.” Yugi giggled despite everything, relaxing as the German skater took his bow and stepped off the ice in front of them.

“We’re already well into fifth standing,” Anzu continued as Yugi checked the laces on his skates one last time. “All we need is a solid final act to reach the podium. Don’t push yourself.” Yugi nodded, though the sentiment passed right through him. He certainly wasn’t going to take it easy for his Olympic debut.

Though it had become his indulgent signature at other competitions he hadn’t worn a dress. He wasn’t sure the international committee was ready for that just yet. Instead he’d opted for black leggings and a flowing white shirt that was perhaps just a little bit too revealing in the front. The conservative media could eat it’s heart out.

He nodded as Anzu and a few of their coaches offered last minute words of encouragement, though he didn’t process anything that was being said. _It was time_ . His instincts were taking over, the adrenaline driving him forward. This was what Yugi thrived on. It was now or never, the moment to put all his cards on the table. Yugi stood up straight, shedding his jacket and pulling his bangs back out of his face as his confidence surged. _He could do this._

He clapped Anzu on the shoulder and stepped up towards the entrance to the rink. He looked out over the ice, mentally running through his routine one last time. He paused to remove the covers from his skates, rising again when the amplified voices of the announcers rang through the arena.

**_—Yugi Motou, representing Team USA for the men’s short program—_ **

Yugi waved as the crowd cheered with enthusiastic applause before stepping out onto the ice. He look a slow lap around the rink to warm up, nodding and smiling to the stands as he went. He knew somewhere at home his grandfather was standing so close to the tv that no one else could see. Waiting with baited breath to see if Yugi would manage to land his three quads. More than anyone else had managed.

Yugi drifted to the middle of the rink, assuming his starting position as the lights were lowered and the crowd quieted. The first few notes of the music began and Yugi moved, gliding across the ice. Yugi didn’t think about anything other than skating when he performed. He’d been over his routine so many times that it felt like second nature flowing through his limbs. He didn’t think about the crowd, the judges, or his teammates. He took a deep breath before the big moment.

Yugi heard the explosion of applause when he landed his first quad cleanly on his outstretched skate, slowly bringing his other foot back to the ice. _One down._ Yugi arched and spun as he moved, rotating his body to the pounding music as he sailed across the rink. With every successful trick he was bolstered, forcing himself to skate cleaner and more powerful than ever before. The wind whipped through his hair as he executed some of his most flexible spins.

The two minute performance would almost be over too fast. The final quad was last, something that no one would be prepared for. Yugi’s legs ached as he pumped along, but nothing could get to him now. _This was his moment_. The second Yugi’s skates left the ice as he jumped he knew it was good. His landing sparked a roar from the audience the likes of which Yugi had never heard. Yugi threw his hands up as he finished, his chest heaving.

In many sections of the stands the crowd had stood, thundering away with their applause. Here and there stuffed animals and flowers were tossed into the rink by enthused fans. Yugi could barely catch his breath but took a bow and the noise surged once more as the announcers boomed.

**_—What a performance from the youngest member of Team USA! Truly like nothing else we have seen tonight—_ **

Yugi had barely made it to the gap in the railing to exit the rink when we was literally dragged off the ice by his best friend. Jou crushed him in an embrace, shouting all kinds of things that Yugi couldn’t understand since his ears were currently trapped between his chest and his arms. Someone finally pulled Jou away and suddenly Anzu was kissing his face while Ryou and Duke jostled them.

At some point Yugi had started to well up. He would have been a little embarrassed if Jou hadn’t been openly crying as well. A surge of inexplicable emotions were coursing through Yugi. _He had done it_. No matter what else had happened, he had given the team everything that they needed. And they cheered him for it.

Jou and Anzu walked him to the scoring box. Yugi waved at the fans who reached down from the stands to call out at him, dodging the cameras as he wiped at his eyes. He stopped every few feet as various coaches and competitors embraced and congratulated him. It was both the shortest and longest walk of his life. When they were finally seated, the crowd began to quiet as they waited for the judges to make their final calls. Yugi held his breath as the seconds ticked by.

When the awarded score finally flashed across the screen Yugi was struck dumb by the enormous noise that erupted. Yugi would have collapsed on his feet in shock as the numbers registered in his brain if Jounouchi hadn’t lifted him into the air at that moment, almost toppling the both of them as he shouted in excitement. The loudspeakers echoed over the clamor of the stadium.

**_—Team USA secures their position at the top of the podium with an astonishing 31 point lead courtesy of a record breaking short program by Yugi Motou—_ **

 

* * *

 

Yugi had no idea when they had reached the bar. It had been such a whirlwind of faces and tears, he didn’t know if it had been minutes that had passed or hours. He had apparently changed back into his pants and a light sweater at some point even if he barely remembered the incident. The team medal still hung heavy around his neck, though Yugi thought he might never take it off. Would they let him compete with it?

He waved off the drink Duke offered him, content to continue to ride the high of their victory. He wanted to remember this moment forever. Jou was quite loudly and drunkenly singing near them, the worst rendition of the national anthem Yugi had ever heard. Anzu was sitting on the bar next to him, her own medal glinting where it bounced on her chest as she swayed along. Yugi’s heart swelled at the scene.

 _One down, two to go…_ He thought distractedly. He danced a little bit, although he was being constantly bombarded by so many congratulations and hugs that he could hardly make it from one side of the floor to the other. As the place became more packed, it was almost impossible to move at all. He finally escaped near the kitchens, quickly finding a door out to a small deck that contained a number of empty tables and chairs.

Yugi gratefully took in the cool air, making his way over to the railing that looked out over the snow-dusted Olympic village. Most of the buildings were dark, with a few street lights and open windows casting a golden glow over the area. Yugi fingered the edge of his medal as he watched a few athletes mingling here and there as they either celebrated or mourned the events of the day.

“You skate very well.” A deep voice spoke from behind him and Yugi turned to see who had joined him on the balcony. His stomach flipped over when he recognized the unmistakable form of Atem Sennen approaching him slowly.

Yugi grinned. “Thanks,” he said. He wouldn’t let his nerves get the best of him today. They were both Olympic gold medalists now. Atem joined him by the railing, resting down on it as a small gust of wind blew around them. Yugi would have shivered in the cold if his body had been able to feel anything other than elation at the moment.

“Does it feel like this every time?” Yugi asked, breathless.

Atem nodded. “Always,” he said with a small smile.

“I can’t believe you’ve done this six times,” Yugi gushed before he could stop himself. “I can’t imagine it. How is it even possible?”

Atem laughed as he straightened and the easy sound wired straight to Yugi’s libido. He leaned against the railing, now facing Yugi with his arms crossed. It was relatively dark but Yugi could still make out the deep color of Atem’s eyes. “It’s never a sure thing, I promise you’ll feel like this every time.” His accent was somehow even more velvety than Yugi remembered.

Yugi nodded. He glanced up at the mountain that towered above the village in the background. “Are you nervous for tomorrow?” Yugi asked. The halfpipe final was looming ever closer.

Atem paused for a moment, almost as if he had to think about it. “Yes and no. I’ve done all I can and I’m ready for whatever it brings.” Atem uncrossed his arms as some particularly loud shouts of joy echoed out from inside the building. “At least I’m not on top of the bar performing right now,” he added as amusement tugged at his lips.

Yugi flushed at what was obviously a dig at Jou. “You’d be surprised how many medals he’s won hungover.” Yugi insisted. It was true, though perhaps not Jou’s most admirable trait.

Atem pushed off the railing slowly, taking a step towards Yugi. “You’re not drinking tonight,” he observed as Yugi became very aware of how close they were suddenly.

Yugi shook his head. “I was just…” he trailed off. “Enjoying the moment.” Yugi sucked in a sharp breath when Atem’s hand fell to his hip, tracing the inch of bare skin below Yugi’s sweater with his thumb.

“Still, it’s nice to celebrate.” Atem murmured as he stepped even closer. _Holy shit_ , Yugi thought as Atem raised his free hand to brush one of Yugi’s bangs out of his face. Their height difference left Yugi looking up at him. He figured he probably looked pretty stupid gaping the way he was but couldn’t bring himself to care.

“You know I have to root for Jou, right?” Yugi asked, his voice coming out as barely a whisper in the small space between them. “He’s my best friend.” Atem was still watching him with a heavy stare, his dark eyes now lidded while his one hand continued to move across the bare skin above Yugi’s hip. Atem trailed his other hand down Yugi’s face, long fingers tilting his chin up. Yugi swallowed as the taller man moved closer still, his rich scent filling Yugi’s senses.

“I know,” Atem murmured before he lowered his head and brushed his lips across Yugi’s own in a teasing touch. Yugi let out an embarrassingly needy noise and clenched his fingers in Atem’s shirt. Atem chuckled, the sound tingling over Yugi’s skin as he hooked his finger through Yugi’s belt and pulled them flush. He slipped his firm thigh between Yugi’s legs before kissing him properly.

The reality of it was so much better than anything Yugi could have ever fantasized. Atem’s mouth was hot and demanding on his, much less timid than Yugi was used to. His tongue slid against Yugi’s own and he groaned. Yugi’s hands wandered, sliding over Atem’s broad shoulders and toying with the hair at the nape of his neck. Atem’s fingers slid Yugi’s sweater up a few more inches, his smooth hands traveling across Yugi’s small waist.

They broke the kiss momentarily but Yugi went back for more, pulling Atem down. The older man seemed happy to oblige him as their mouths connected again. It was hot, and wet, and the most erotic thing Yugi had ever been a part of. Every touch and quiet noise shot straight through him. He whined when Atem’s hands slipped down below his waist to slide over his leather-clad ass.

Atem pulled back after some time, leaving both of them breathing heavily along the edge of the deck. Atem was still staring down at him. The Egyptian slipped his finger under the ribbon of the medal hanging around Yugi’s neck, tracing back and forth. “Do you want to get out of here?” He asked. His voice was rough and ragged when he spoke, making Yugi’s knees go weak.

Yugi nodded with a grin so big it almost hurt. “Please,” he begged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when I spend a week watching the Olympics and immediately want to corrupt it. Let me know if you're interested in a part two!
> 
> You can also come say hello on Tumblr: https://wildcranberry.tumblr.com


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This time the cheers were just as deafening, though Yugi felt like he could hardly hear them. Atem was leaning casually on one end of his board chatting with Seto Kaiba near the start gates as easily as if they were discussing the weather. He turned when he noticed the cameras, winking as he raised his hand in greeting while the crowd boomed again. Yugi could hardly help the jerk he felt in his insides somewhere down near his navel. How long had it been since he had been under Atem? Was it too soon to do it again?

Yugi woke to an annoying noise and was instantly disgruntled at being pulled out of the cozy warmth his subconscious had been enjoying. He blinked lazily as he stretched, ignoring a persistent buzzing located somewhere near his head. _What the hell was that?_ It was way too early. Yugi winced as he rolled slightly and his sore muscles protested the movement.

Yugi rooted around under the pillow until his fingers closed around the offending cell phone. He silenced the alarm and dragged the device up to his face, squinting in the light. Two things occurred to him very suddenly. The first was that he was more than an hour late for morning practice. The second involved the slightly disorienting revelation that he was not in his own bed.

The room he and Jou had been sharing was much smaller than the luxurious suite Atem had taken him back to. Not that he had cared much at that time. He had been entirely focused on _other things…_ Other things Yugi was very aware of when he carefully rolled over where he lay naked between the soft sheets. A delicious kind of morning after soreness burning in his lower half that had nothing to do with skating.

Atem lay on his side next to Yugi, apparently still fast asleep. The snowboarder’s handsome face was even and calm as he breathed slowly. Yugi bit his lip as he watched the man’s bare chest gently rise and fall. Yugi wasn’t quite sure that he dared to wake him. Surely it would be rude? A small bubble of guilt began to form in Yugi’s gut. _He’d slept with Atem Sennen._ The man who would compete against his friend in the evening. _Jounouchi…_ Yugi’s best friend who had always stood up for him no matter what.

He stumbled slightly as he carefully slipped out of the sheets and stood, hissing at the objection of his overworked limbs. _Oh my god_ , Yugi thought to himself. _This cannot be real right now_. He glanced back at Atem and was relieved to see that the man was still unconscious.

Yugi checked his phone again. He scrolled quickly through the obscene number of messages he had received since the night before. The majority of which seemed to be a random assortment of unintelligible keyboard mashing from Jou. He glanced back at the other snowboarder. Should he wake him? Yugi bit his lip. He’d never actually done anything like this before in his life and didn’t exactly know what was expected of him.

_He’s competing today,_ Yugi reminded himself. He knew from experience how little Jou liked to be disturbed the mornings of his events. Unsure what he would even say to Atem, Yugi quietly began to gather his discarded clothing up off the floor. The curtains had been pulled tight so that only a faint glow of the morning light beyond illuminated the room.

As soon as Yugi had pulled on enough clothing to be considered presentable he carefully picked up the medal he had left on the nightstand, staring at it for a long moment before lifting it up around his neck and slipping it underneath his sweater. With one last glance back over his shoulder, Yugi crept silently towards the door. He turned the handle slowly before squeezing through the gap and into the hall.

Yugi blinked under the fluorescent lights as he continued to fumble with the buttons on his jacket. He prayed silently that everyone was already out and about as he pressed the call button for the elevator. Much to Yugi’s relief, it was empty when the doors slid open. He rested against the railing as it began to descend the dozen floors down to the main lobby.

He opened his phone, groaning when he remembered how incredibly late he was for practice. He would be lucky to escape the chewing-out of a lifetime from the team coaches. _Overslept!_ Yugi typed out a quick text to Ryou and Anzu. _I’ll be there soon!_ He would have to hope that the night of drinking had been as distracting for them as well.

Yugi absentmindedly fingered the edge of the medal under his sweater with one hand. It didn’t quite feel real yet, and he wondered briefly if it ever really would. A gold medal and Atem Sennen in the same day. Yugi had already peaked at age 19. _Only at the Olympics._

He opened a new message to Jou, hoping against the odds that he had been too inebriated to think too much of Yugi’s absence. _Good luck today,_ Yugi wrote. _We’ll all be there for you!_ It was true, Yugi wouldn’t miss the halfpipe finals for anything in the world. Even if the sheets were still warm upstairs next to Jou’s toughest competitor.

_You did this to yourself,_ Yugi berated himself silently as the elevator doors slid open again. _You and your asinine crush on a man so far out of your league he probably won’t ever think about you again._

 

* * *

 

“Hurry up!” Anzu called as she flashed her VIP badge and climbed over the railing. Yugi jogged after her, clambering up higher in the reserved stands as they went. Ryou and Duke waved them over as they approached from the section the two men had already settled in.

“Hey guys!” Ryou greeted. He was wrapped up in at least three blankets.

“Took you long enough,” Duke added as he scooted over on the bench to make room for them.

“Sorry,” Anzu replied, breathless from their sprint. “Practice went a little longer than planned.” Yugi winced a little as he took his seat next to Duke, still quite sore from _everything._ Truthfully he had been off his game all day. Practice had been of mix of exhaustion, frustration, and a few solid disappointments. His anxiety for Jou’s upcoming event certainly hadn’t helped much either.

“I’m so nervous!” Anzu grinned as she grabbed Yugi’s hand and squeezed it.

Yugi nodded in agreement as he glanced around, catching sight of a familiar blonde sitting next to the black haired woman a few sections over. He quickly looked away when one of them turned to get a better view. He hadn't told any of them about what had happened. Not even when he had called Jou at lunch to wish him well. The blonde was clearly jittery (and a little hungover) but Yugi wasn’t worried. He’d always root for Jou, and nothing would change that

“There sure are an awful lot of them,” Ryou observed as the announcers made their way through the list of competitors.

“Jou will drop in second to last for each round,” Yugi told them as he accepted a spare blanket from Ryou.

“Sennen gets to go last, right?” Duke asked over Yugi’s shoulder. Yugi nodded as he swallowed.

“Yeah…” he trailed off. “They go in reverse order based off of points scored in qualifying.” Yugi wrapped the blanket around his shoulders to ward of the chill of the mountain slopes.

“Hopefully Jou won’t fall this time,” Duke muttered.

Yugi frowned. “It’s pretty common in halfpipe competition,” he responded. It wasn’t a big deal usually, which was why every competitor had three runs each. Jonouchi was certainly a little bruised but it hadn’t slowed him down yet. Not that Duke could ever resist an opportunity to take a jab where one was presented.

The bright lights shone above them, illuminating the largest halfpipe in Olympic history. It was certainly grander than any snowboarding event Yugi had ever been too, with international cameras and crowds of reporters jockeying for views and quotes below them as various language buzzed in the stands. Jou’s life would never be the same after his debut here. Yugi felt like his chest could barely contain the swell of pride he felt for his best friend. Jou deserved all of it, more than almost anyone Yugi knew. Nothing else mattered.

Yugi glanced up as the stands burst into a round of applause when the mechanical ring of— **_Jounouchi Katsuya, USA_ ** —echoed through the air. The enormous monitors were suddenly covered with a live feed of Jou, grinning and waving as he lifted his snowboard above his head where he stood in the warm-up area at the top of the pipe. Yugi cheered along with the rest of them. Once the clamor began to die down the screens flashed again and Yugi felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as Atem Sennen’s face was broadcasted to the audience.

This time the cheers were just as deafening, though Yugi felt like he could hardly hear them. Atem was leaning casually on one end of his board chatting with Seto Kaiba near the start gates as easily as if they were discussing the weather. He turned when he noticed the cameras, winking as he raised his hand in greeting while the crowd boomed again. Yugi could hardly help the jerk he felt in his insides somewhere down near his navel. _How long had it been since he had been under Atem?_ Was it too soon to do it again?

Yugi tore his eyes from the screen as he blushed, cursing himself. What a shitty friend he was. Jou would never do anything like that to him, ever. Yugi had been given one opportunity and jumped right into it? He wondered hopelessly if it was the kind of secret he could take to his grave without anyone ever knowing. Not that he would ever be able to forget three orgasms in one night…

The first dozen competitors seemed to drag on forever as Yugi sat on the edge of his seat. The backside double corks and ninety-ninetys thrilling the crowd into endless cheers and applause. They all posted decent scores, though most of them were certainly playing the first round safe. Jou would be different, he always was.

They all got up from their seats when it was Jou’s turn to drop in, Yugi leaning into Anzu as he stood with his hands over his mouth. They watched the monitors as Jou knocked twice on his helmet for good luck before sailing over the first edge of the pipe. He certainly didn’t hold back. His height alone staggering in the first few flips and tricks. There weren’t any 1440s right out of the gate, but Jou soared above previous marks. He grazed a hand on the final landing but swept into the bottom of the pipe with a triumphant fist pump, easily topping the leaderboard. Yugi had to stand up on his seat to see above the screaming crowd, Anzu jumping up and down next to him.

Yugi had been so busy celebrating Jou’s first run that he hardly noticed when Atem entered the pipe. Sennen was very competitive, everyone knew that. It didn’t seem like he was taking Jou’s grandstanding lightly either. The Egyptian landed two triple corks back to back without the slightest hesitation and swept right past the scoring box, not bothering to watch his round top Jou’s score by more than a dozen points. Yugi crossed his arms as Duke booed audibly over the rest of the excitement. It was a cocky thing to do, even for a world champion.  

It was far from over, Yugi reminded himself as the crowd settled back into their seats. Everyone still had two more runs to set their top score. Yugi wound up watching most of the second round through his fingers, the pressure mounting as the top scores began to separate the potential medal winners from the rest of the pack. Jou had amped everything up, a backside 1440 and a flawless triple cork leading him to top the scoreboard again. It was all game of cat and mouse really as they waited for Atem to respond.

Yugi knew the minute the Egyptian dropped into the pipe that he was bringing it all. A backside double, two triples, and Yugi dropped his hands in amazement as he recognized _a frontside quad cork_ —but it was over as soon as it had begun, the crowd gasping as Atem missed the edge of the pipe and hit the ground too hard, blowing out his landing. He wasn’t hurt, but the run would be scrapped which would leave Jou in the lead. Atem ripped off his helmet as he got back to his feet and slid down the last section of the pipe. Yugi watched as Atem swung himself up onto the back of the snowmobile that took them back up to the top of the pipe with a shake of his head.

“Oh my god,” Anzu whispered as she reached for Yugi’s hand again. “He could win this, _he could actually win this._ ” Yugi’s body trembled with nerves as he smiled.

“It’s not over yet,” he warned as Duke and Ryou high fived each other. Yugi had enough experience with the sport to know every snowboarding title was won or lost in the final round. A chant of _“U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!”_ had erupted around them, drowning out the announcers. Yugi couldn’t see the blonde Egyptian or the woman anymore through the crowd.

Yugi had to stand back up on his chair to get a glimpse of the third round. A Canadian and a Frenchman continued to tussle for the bronze position, putting on quite a show although they fell short of the high-flying antics of Jou and Atem. Jou had hit his stride, laying down the final run Yugi had watched him perfect for months. He landed his quad with both hands in the air, celebrating all the way down to the end of the pipe. Yugi shouted at the top of his lungs as the score was revealed, Jou furthering his lead by more than a eight points. Gold was right there, at the tips of Jou’s fingers.

But there was one more competitor to go. Atem had risen to every challenge in every contest, in every Olympics, and in every halfpipe. Yugi knew he wasn’t going to go down easy. As the crowd held their breath through most of the final run of the games, Yugi realized Atem wasn’t going to go down at all. Jou seemed to realize it too, pulling off his helmet as he stared up from the bottom of the pipe. The synchronized quads alone might have been enough to win it all, but there was one more trick remaining and Yugi knew what was coming.

No one had ever landed a backside quadruple cork in competition. Then again, Atem had always been the first for everything else. It almost seemed to happen in slow motion. Every rotation and twist executed in only a second or two. The roar that erupted in the venue as Atem set back down in the pipe for his final landing overtook every other sense. _King of Games_ , Yugi remembered the headlines from four years ago.

Jou was shouting and running forward in his boots as Atem slid to a stop at the bottom of the hill. The monitors switched over and Yugi watched Jou’s grinning face as he he seized the Egyptian in a tight embrace and lifted the man right off the snow in celebration. He was still shouting, mouthing something that looked suspiciously like _backside quadruple_ as Atem and his snowboard dangled in the air. Above it all, the announcers boomed.

**—** **_an incredible display of sportsmanship from two of the top athletes in the world. Truly a sight to see here today folks—_ **

Jou kept on celebrating as someone handed him an enormous American flag he immediately draped around his shoulders as he continued to drag Atem along with him. Yugi’s heart swelled as the crowd around them cheered and laughed in unison as they pushed their way down towards the athletes. _Second best in the world, and a heart of gold._ Yugi beamed.

 

* * *

 

They wound up in another bar, although Yugi was fairly sure it was a different one than the last. It was hard to tell at that point with all the drinks that had been flowing while they waiting for the athletes to appear. Yugi indulged himself this time as he sipped on his straw, he wasn’t sure if his nerves could handle it if he didn’t.

Yugi was giggling over the top of his third sugary drink when Jou finally appeared, shortly followed by the Egyptian and the young Canadian who had secured the bronze medal. Atem was with the blonde man from before, laughing and chatting away rapidly in a foreign language. Together they strode right past where Yugi and his friends had mobbed Jou upon entry. It was a crowded room though, and Yugi tried not to feel too disappointed when he failed to catch the man’s eye.

Jou was sporting his silver medal like a badge of honor on his chest, a well deserved beer clutched in each hand. Even if he inevitably spilled almost as much as he drank. All kinds of men and women Yugi had never met before appeared to congratulate them, clapping the American on the back and calling for toasts to Team USA. They had been given plenty of reasons to celebrate over the years, but this would be one to remember. It felt like minutes but was probably hours that passed as the liquor flowed and they spun across the dance floor.

“One more, Yuug!” Jou shouted as he dropped another glass into Yugi’s empty hands. Anzu thumped Yugi on the back as he coughed, what must have been whisky hitting quite a bit harder than Yugi had been expecting.  

A very pretty blonde women had arrived at some point, and Yugi deduced by the shape of her chest and the way she was doting on Jou that she must have been the infamous bobsledder. Jou certainly seemed to be quite taken with her and Yugi had to admit that they looked good together. As the place steadily grew more packed Yugi and Anzu retreated to a corner to allow Jou to properly enjoy the limelight for a moment.

“Oh Yugi,” Anzu slurred warmly as she leaned against him. “I’m so happy—for all of us.” Yugi nodded in agreement as he swayed back and forth to the loud music. He tried to resist the urge to glance around, to see if Atem had hung around for the celebrations. Not that he could see much anyway since most of the Olympic athletes crammed into the room towered over him.

After a few more songs Anzu dragged Yugi along in an attempt to locate the restroom, pushing through the crowd towards the actual bar and the rooms beyond. Yugi went willingly, grateful for an opportunity to escape the hectic clamour and pounding music for a few moments. It wasn’t like he had slept much the night before…

It happened so fast that Yugi could hardly have prepared himself for it. Once second they were edging around a nordic team and the next moment they had reached the bar where the men in question stood around a counter full of discarded glasses. The blonde man had his arm around Atem’s waist now, not three feet from where Yugi stood rather dumbstruck in Seto Kaiba’s sizable shadow.

“ _Oh!_ Congratulations!” Anzu shouted abruptly in greeting as she waved, Yugi standing stupidly at her side. Atem looked around at her and smiled as he raised his glass in return, the flag of his home country draped over one shoulder.

“Thank you,” Atem replied politely though the sound hardly reached Yugi’s ears over the general commotion. The blonde man’s lilac shirt rode high on his tanned midriff as he leaned into Atem’s shoulder while the gold medalist turned his attention away from Anzu without so much as a glance at Yugi. Atem laughed at something the blonde has whispered into his ear as Anzu lead Yugi away again.

“ _Sorry Yugi_ ,” Anzu said as they finally found the right door and stumbled into a long empty hall. “I think he’s taken.” Yugi nodded stiffly, suddenly feeling like something very large had stepped on his chest. _Was it true?_ Yugi’s addled brain could hardly process the scene they had just witnessed, especially with what had just happened the night before.

He slumped against the bathroom sink as Anzu slipped into one of the stalls. He certainly had tried his best not to let himself expect anything, but the blatant rejection still stung. _Stupid,_ Yugi berated himself silently as he blinked back a few frustrated tears. _What kind of grown man cried in a ladies restroom over a boy?_ He needed to sober up—or get three times as drunk as he was. One of the two.

“Are you alright?” Anzu asked as she stepped out to wash her hands. Yugi tried hurriedly to shake off the disappointment that had hardened in his gut. He wasn’t going to cry. Here and now, anyway.

“Yeah,” Yugi assured her though it came out a little garbled as he forced a smile. “Just tired.”

“Such—a long day,” Anzu agreed as she fumbled with her hair in the mirror, her eyes slightly unfocused. They were definitely drunk, Yugi realized. “Do you want to leave?” She asked.

Yugi shook his head, stopping abruptly when it made the room spin. “Let’s go find Duke,” he suggested instead. “And— _like_ —six more shots.”

 

* * *

 

Yugi’s headache pounded as his skates cut into the fresh ice. He’d already thrown up twice, and pledged several times to never touch a drop of alcohol again. He had even been forced to leave the main lights of the rink switched off for the morning. Yugi had ditched the team practice for a smaller venue, choosing to skate by himself. He just wasn’t in the mood to socialize.

Despite his hangover, Yugi had selected one of his more aggressive playlists. The vigorous beat stoked his bitter mood, constantly enticing him into some of his larger and more perilous tricks. He pushed himself a little bit harder with every lap. It felt good in his burning limbs, and in his head. He had always been good at putting it all out on the ice.

He was humiliated, but what had he really expected? It was childish of him to ever hope that it would be more to Atem than what it was. Yugi pumped his legs faster as he whipped across the ice, skipping over the majority of his warm ups. _They didn’t even know each other._ Atem Sennen had probably done the same thing a hundred times with countless different faces. He was certainly free to date or fuck whoever he wanted. _It was stupid_ , Yugi bit his lip in frustration as he threw his first quad. As soon as he was in the air, he knew it was sloppy. Yugi’s hand hit the ice as his leg faulted under his landing. He righted himself but cursed violently all the same.

Yugi struck out on another lap, his temper wavering. _He was better than this._ He wasn’t a little kid anymore. He was too old to feel like he had when his schoolmates had picked on him for being _so different_ . He was over it. It didn’t matter that Atem didn’t want him. _It was just a stupid crush._

He heard the heavy metal door to the rink open, but Yugi didn’t turn to see who it was at first. He was determined wallow in self-pity for a few more moments of privacy while he could. He caught a glimpse of Jounouchi waving at him from behind the glass, but his speed prevented him from hearing whatever his friend was saying.

The jump was bad. He’d thrown far too much energy with too little restraint. Yugi barely managed to even clip the edge of his skate on the landing, his control lost. His body landed on the ice with enough force to send him sprawling out over the slick surface. It stung in more ways than one.

“ _Yuug!_ ” Jou called out as Yugi heard one of the large gates to the rink bang open. Yugi lay unmoving on his side as he heard Jou’s careful footsteps approach him across the ice. “Yuug, are you alright?” Jou asked. A pang of guilt settled into Yugi where he lay with his back to his friend. Jou was concerned about him. He always was. They’d been through everything together.

Yugi hiccuped quietly as he wiped at his eyes. He sat up slowly, burying his face in his hands. Jou was next to him now. His friend crouched down on the ice, gently clasping Yugi’s shoulder. “Alright man, you gotta tell me what’s wrong.” Jou said quietly as they sat together. “Last night and then today? It’s not like you, Yuug.” Yugi sniffed quietly as he peaked through his fingers at his best friend. Jou wasn’t wearing his medal anymore, and somehow looked a right bit fresher than Yugi felt.

“I did something really stupid,” Yugi whispered quietly. His voice cracked awkwardly around the lump in his throat. “You’re going to hate me.” The heavy music of his forgotten playlist pounded away in the background.

Jou gave a good snort as he ruffled Yugi’s wild hair with one of his calloused hands. “I doubt it,” he said. “That’s my thing. I do more dumb shit before breakfast than you manage all week.” Yugi couldn’t help but smile in spite of everything. Jou sat back on the heels of his sneakers revealing the hole torn through the knee of his faded jeans. Yugi studied him for a moment before he let out a small sigh.

“I sort of... slept with Sennen.” Yugi said quietly as he twisted his fingers together. Jou blinked, opening and closing his mouth once silently as if he had been struck mute. Yugi let out another almost hysterical hiccup at the absurdity of it all. _It was so dumb_. All of it.

“What?” Jou asked, utterly bewildered. “ _Atem Sennen_? Last night? When did you… what?” The blonde scratched at the back of his head as Yugi buried his face in his hands again and groaned loudly.

“No, after the team win…” Yugi muttered quietly. “Remember we went out?”

“Okay. So,” Jou had adopted the same tone he used when he watched through his practice runs in slow motion playback. “You and _Atem Sennen_.” Yugi nodded from his hunched position. “The bar. But you’re not happy. Did he do something to you Yuug? I swear to god if he did something I’m going to kill him—”

“ _Jou!_ ” Yugi hiccuped again. “It wasn’t like that. It was just a dumb crush, I don’t know why I did it, and—he was an ass I’m the worst friend Jou, _I’m so sorry_ —” Jou placed his hand on Yugi’s shoulder and squeezed as he broke off.

“ _Yuug,_ ” Jou said quietly while Yugi’s breathing hitched. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”

Yugi sniffed. “It sure doesn’t feel like it,” he mumbled.

“Look around!” Jou grinned as he shook Yugi gently by the shoulder. “We made it to the Olympics. _The Olympics!_ You think we’re gonna let some douchebag ruin this?” Yugi blinked as Jou laughed at him. “Plus, Sennen’s even dumber than I thought if he can’t see how great you are.”

Yugi let out a short sigh. “Thanks, Jou,” he smiled as he wiped at his eyes with his sleeve.

“Anytime. Here,” Jou said as he stood carefully on the polished ice and held out his hand to help Yugi up. “We’re all here for you Yuug, no matter what.”

“I know,” Yugi nodded as he accepted the blonde’s hand and got back up on his skates again, the smarting of his fall now forgotten. “I was just… embarrassed I guess.”

“Think about how he’s gonna feel when I finally whoop his ass on the pipe!” Jou joked as he ruffled Yugi’s hair affectionately.

 

* * *

 

Yugi had thrown himself into skating for the next two days. He showed up early for practice, and was always the last to leave. Every layback spin had to be perfect, every transition had to be flawless. The judges would be more critical than any panel he had ever performed in front of. He had never been more excited. Yugi had been waiting his whole life for this.

He had tuned it all out, Kaiba’s back to back gold medals and the indulgences that had followed. Yugi had ignored even the smallest coverage of the celebrations. This was finally about him, and his sport, and everything he had ever dreamed about. He hadn’t even thought about Atem’s debut in the new slopestyle event. Mostly.

“You’re accumulating quite the fan club,” Anzu observed as Yugi drifted towards her on the ice. Yugi flushed as his attention drifted to the crowd that had been growing above them in the stands lined up around the practice rink.

“The girls are all for Ryou,” Yugi responded as the Englishman swept by them with a neat flourish. Several people in the stands were filming him as he went. If their practice sessions were anything to go by, Britain might be the team to beat on the technical score.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that…” Anzu murmured as a cluster of young women with signs waved in enthusiastically in Yugi’s direction.

“Oh, _come on—_ ” Yugi giggled as he grabbed her hand and pulled her further out onto the ice with him. “You can practice your podium speech later!”

Anzu laughed as she flew past him in reverse, winking before she turned to set up one of her jumps. Yugi grinned after her as he pumped his legs. He would miss all of them when the games were over. Far too often their careers left them all thousands of miles away from each other. It was a lonely life sometimes.

Oh yes, Yugi would miss the Olympics. Even after the unfortunate business with a certain snowboarder it was everything Yugi had fantasized about since his first tentative lap around his hometown rink. He would never forget any of this, and he would never be the same. Not that anyone would ever let him forget it. His grandfather had filled his inbox to the point of bursting with every article and mention he could find. Yugi had no doubt that the Game Shop customers has been left thoroughly neglected over the past week.

So many people had given Yugi so much over the years. His grandfather’s unconditional support, all the late nights with Jou and the other skaters he befriended along the way. Every youth competition and every long flight and weary drive from arena to arena. Every tear, injury, and setback forgotten in the wake of all the never-ending belief in him.

Yugi was ready to skate for gold. For himself, for them, and for every time he had ever doubted that he would even make it _here._

 

* * *

 

_“Hey, Sennen!”_

Atem placed the weight he was racking down, turning towards the noisy newcomer. The man was striding towards him in the empty weight room, though the torn jeans he was wearing didn’t suggest he had come to work out.

“Jounouchi,” Atem greeted casually as he wiped the back of his hand across his damp forehead. He was still breathing quite hard as his heart rate began to wind down. He wasn’t used to seeing his competitor in the gym at night. He had always figured the American had a morning routine. The blonde stopped just short of the weights, one hand tugging at his jacket as he glanced back over his shoulder.

“Sorry about that fall yesterday, man.” Jou said as he brushed back some of his shaggy hair. Atem paused in his cool down movements, thrown off by the comment.

“Not at all,” Atem shrugged after a moment. “It happens.” It certainly wasn’t a rare occurrence in competition. It was inconsequential anyway since he had won, something the American was very well aware of. Jou didn’t reply but shifted on his feet with what bordered on impatience. Atem stepped away from the rack he had been using and towards the blonde.

“Forgive me Katsuya, are you alright?” Atem asked, concerned by Jounouchi’s unusual demeanor.

“Me? Oh yeah, I’m good.” Jou assured him as he looked past Atem towards the wall of mirrors along the back of the room. “Competition’s over, you know.”

Atem nodded. He pulled the small towel down off his shoulder to wipe at his face. “Sure,” he said. Something definitely wasn’t right.

“Here’s the thing…” Jou said. The blonde took a definite step forward and without warning was suddenly moving quite quickly. Atem’s eyes widened as he realized all too late what was happening. Atem felt his neck snap back when Jou’s fist made contact with his face, staggering and collapsing onto the mat behind him in a stunned heap. For a moment he wasn’t sure which direction was which.  

“What the—?” Atem swore heavily in his native tongue as black spots bloomed across his vision. It wasn’t the first time he had ever been punched, but it certainly was the hardest. For half a second he thought he might throw up. Atem brought his hand to his face, wincing when his fingers grazed over his the split skin near his cheekbone. He spat on the mat next to him when he tasted blood in his mouth.

“That’s for Yugi,” Jou snapped. Atem glanced up to see the blonde staring down where Atem was sitting on the mat, his arms crossed. _Yugi?_ The boy’s bright face swam briefly through Atem’s thoughts. An unpleasant feeling twisted in his chest.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Atem muttered as he stood up slowly. It wasn’t exactly true but he certainly wasn’t level headed at the moment. He braced himself against a rack as he brought his sleeve up to his bleeding lip. Jou didn’t offer to help him, but he didn’t look like he was going to take another swing either.

“Fuck you,” Jou spat. “You’ve got some fucking nerve, man.”

“Thanks for the clarification,” Atem replied dryly as he leaned onto the rack for support. He blinked through the cross-eyed feeling that had settled into his shaky vision. _So much for sportsmanship, then._ The unpleasant tang of iron now lingering on his tongue. “I meant no harm to your friend.” Atem couldn’t quite bring himself to say Yugi’s name. He wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Look, I don’t care who you put your dick in.” Jou began, stepping forward and pointing his finger quickly enough that Atem took a small step back. “But you will not hurt Yugi.” Jou glared him down as Atem eyed him warily. “He’s the best person I’ve ever known and has more talent in his pinky than you have in your whole body. I’m not going to let you ruin this for him just because he had a crush on you and you’re an ass.” Jou poked him in the chest to emphasize his point. Atem blinked. _Yugi Motou had a crush on him?_

“I didn’t…” Atem trailed off, shaking his head slightly to clear his hazy thoughts. He stepped back from Jou. “I’m sorry,” he finally said. “But he’s an adult. And he seemed plenty happy with Devlin.”

“Duke?” Jou asked. The blonde’s agitated demeanor was largely exasperated. “ _Duke?_ ” He repeated. “You’re a complete moron, you know that, right?” Atem narrowed his eyes, straightening up as he crossed his arms. He tried not to remember Yugi leading the taller man out of the bar directly in front of him the way that he had. Atem felt his head begin to really throb now, his temper beginning to flare.

“Enough.” Atem barked. Jou fell silent. “You’ve made your point.” Jou watched him for a moment before exhaling heavily through his nose and stepping back. The American nodded shortly before turning around and making his way back across the gym, his footsteps the only noise in the room.

“You can’t land your quad corks because your hips are too tight,” Atem called after him while he wiped the back of his hand across his bottom lip where he still stood near the rack. “That’s why your height is so inconsistent.”

Jounouchi stopped mid-stride to turn back and gape at him. “Un- _fucking_ -believable,” he muttered as he turned on his heel and slammed his way back through the gym door.

 

* * *

 

“I need to retire,” Atem groaned as he watched a few drops of blood drip into the sink he stood over in the hotel bathroom. He dabbed gingerly at the split across his cheekbone with a damp cloth. Atem winced when he applied too much pressure, blood blooming around the small wound.

Malik let out a low whistle where he sat cross legged on the counter. “Your pretty face!” He lamented with a pout. Atem rolled his eyes at his cousin without glancing away from his reflection in the mirror.

“Why are you still here?” Atem asked as he returned to cleaning the cut. Ishizu had caught a return flight home to Cairo that morning after the final snowboarding event.

“Celebrating becoming the most attractive member of the family,” Malik quipped from his perch. “Actually, I was hoping to engage in some scandalous humping but somehow you managed to beat me to that one.”

“It wasn’t scandalous,” Atem muttered as he turned the faucet on and began to rinse the washcloth he had been using.

“Yugi Motou though,” Malik mused as he tapped his chin gently. “He’s _very_ cute.”

Atem nodded stiffly. He certainly wasn’t going to deny that. As long as he had been competing against Jounouchi Katsuya the smaller American had always turned out to support the blonde. Still, competitors had come and gone in Atem’s decade long career and he had only ever paid so much attention. But Yugi Motou had quickly become a celebrity in his own right and that had been hard to ignore. The figure skater was extremely talented, witty, and very attractive. Something that had left Atem a little bit distracted during the last few competitions.

“Quite a catch,” Malik continued. “No idea why he’d be interested in you.” Atem hardly had the energy to roll his eyes again. He grunted in pain as he moved his washcloth to his swollen lip. He’d definitely bit his tongue too. It was a shame Jounouchi hadn’t gone into a physical sport instead. He had a true knack for it.

“So…” Malik began when it was clear that Atem was ignoring him. “How long have you been into him?”

“Don’t you start with me too,” Atem muttered as he shut off the faucet. To his annoyance the split on his cheek had slowly started to bleed again. He was just going to have to give up and ice it.

Malik grinned. “You’re way too uptight to fuck a hot stranger. I’m sure you’ve been pining after the poor kid.” Atem shrugged as he shook his wet hands dry. It wasn’t particularly untrue even if he wouldn’t have worded it that way. Though the few times he’d allowed himself to imagine the scenario he hardly thought he would ever act on it. But Yugi had been stunning, so sweet and eager—and _incredibly_ flexible. Atem abruptly shook his head in an attempt to dislodge his perilous recollections before they could continue.

“It’s not like that,” Atem muttered.

“Only because you’re too stunted to do anything about it,” Malik replied as he handed Atem a spare towel. “Plus you’re pouting so he was definitely good in bed.”

“Alright,” Atem sighed as he finished drying his hands and tossed the towel onto the counter. “What am I supposed to do about it?”

“That depends,” Malik mused as he tapped his chin where he was still sitting on the edge of the countertop. “How badly did you fuck it up?”

“After the halfpipe final,” Atem sighed as he crossed his arms. “We got pretty drunk, remember?”

“Huh?” Malik asked as his brow furrowed with an effort to recall the events of the night. “You didn’t even talk to him. We slept on the floor, how would I have missed that?”

Atem shook his head. “It was… before then.” He responded, not quite in the mood to meet his cousin eye to eye. He really just wanted to take a hot shower and fall into bed.

“I don’t understand,” Malik began. “You were trashed, Yugi was there with that guy—” he broke off as his eyes suddenly went wide as he grinned. “ _Oh man_ , you are a jerk.”

“What?” Atem asked abruptly as he dropped his arms. “How did we get there already?”

“Easy,” Malik rolled his eyes as he slid off the counter. “You slept with him and liked it a little too much so you went all _Atem_ and tried to play it off. Only he gave you a run for your jealous money with that dice guy.”

“How could anyone come a conclusion based on _that_?” Atem asked as he shook his head, a headache now blooming.

Malik shrugged. “I get involved in this kind of thing about once a week.”

“I hate you,” Atem mumbled as he wandered out of the bathroom. He crossed the suite and collapsed onto the bed without even bothering to kick off his shoes. The housekeeping staff had long since changed the sheets from Yugi’s visit, which felt weirdly disappointing in some manner. He’d feigned sleep that morning when Yugi had awoken, and had found himself more than a little disappointed when the boy skipped out without so much as saying goodbye. Atem closed his eyes at his head continued to throb. He heard rather than saw Malik settle onto the nearby couch.

“Is he kinky?” Malik asked after a few minutes of silence. “I feel like he would be kinky.”

“Shut up,” Atem groaned from his position on the bed. “He’s young, about to be famous, and I’m aging out.” It stung a little bit, but it was certainly the truth.

“You’re 28!” Malik laughed. “ _Rajul masan_ , now I want to punch you too.”

“Join the club,” Atem muttered as he rolled over onto his other side.

 

* * *

 

Yugi reached for another piece of toast as Anzu bounced in her seat across from him, her performance day nerves leaving her plate untouched. In all honesty Yugi was nervous too, both for his friend’s event and himself. One of the American television broadcasts covering the Women’s Singles Skating had invited him to give commentary before the competition, and for some some inexplicable reason he had agreed. He felt oddly out of place in his shirt and blazer as athletes lounged in their sweats and spandex around them.

Jou and the rest of the crew joined them with a clatter of full plates and trays at the small table. Yugi snagged a strip of bacon off the blonde’s plate in front of him. He paused abruptly with the meat only halfway to his mouth as he noticed Jou’s bruised hand. Unfortunately, Yugi had known his friend for too long to doubt the origin of that kind of injury.

“ _Jounouchi,_ ” Yugi groaned as everyone looked around. “What is _that!_ ”

“What?” Jou asked quickly as he rather pointlessly attempted to cover his knuckles. He wilted slightly under Yugi’s disappointed stare. “It’s nothing!” Jou assured him.

Yugi frowned at the dishonest answer. “One of these days you’re going to wind up in serious trouble,” he muttered as he stabbed at his own eggs.

“Worry about that later,” Ryou said as he checked his watch. “We’ve got to get a move on if we want decent seats.” Yugi nodded in agreement as he nudged Anzu gently. She smiled, though she was clearly distracted. Yugi couldn’t blame her.

After they had finished wolfing down the rest of their respective breakfasts they made their way through the gathering crowds towards the main skating rink. Yugi embraced Anzu for several long moments as he whispered last minute words of encouragement to her. They all wished her well as she stepped beyond the competitor’s barrier with one last wave. Yugi reluctantly said goodbye as well, slowly climbing up the narrow stairs to the media booths.

The crew was pleasant and cheerful as they ushered Yugi towards a set of seats staged above the rink. He was quickly fitted for a microphone and given a very brief pep talk about speaking on camera. A pretty female reporter joined them to sit on one side while they prepped him. There was an empty chair on Yugi’s other side, an additional black headset waiting for another presenter. He didn’t remember any mention of a guest, so he figured it was probably just set up for a later segment.

Yugi pulled his own headset over his uncooperative hair, smiling politely as the reporter launched into the preview program. It was easier than Yugi had expected as long as he didn’t focus on the large cameras pointed at his face. The reporter was upbeat and engaging as she encouraged Yugi to walk the audience through what they could expect to see in the coming hours.

“The Russian team has really turned heads this season with their synchronization and I would imagine we will see some very clean technical scores from them as well tonight,” Yugi explained as the woman nodded. “The Germans have seen a few setbacks but—” Yugi broke off as movement on the stage caught his eye.

Atem Sennen stepped out from behind a few of the crew members, raising his hand in apology as he picked up the remaining headset and settled into the vacant seat next to Yugi. The jewelry on Atem’s wrist jangled as he lifted the headset up over his head, a number of gold bangles falling down over the sleeve of his cable-knit sweater. As the Egyptian slipped the device on Yugi caught a glimpse of a long line of gold earrings trailing up the shell of the man’s ear. Yugi tugged at his stiff shirt, suddenly self conscious next to a man who looked like he had just walked off the cover of a magazine.

Yugi quickly looked away from the Egyptian’s profile, sitting rigidly in his own chair. Sennen was who they had invited? _Who honestly cared about the most decorated snowboarder in Olympic history?_ Yugi stewed silently to himself. Probably everyone, judging by the reporter’s overly enthusiastic welcome and excited chatter.

“A pleasure to be here,” Atem responded in his rich accent to whatever the woman had said. He was clearly much more experienced than Yugi was in front of a camera.

“That’s a nasty bump you’ve got there,” the reporter observed as she crossed her legs under her tight skirt.

Atem chuckled as he adjusted himself and turned his cheek. “Just a little training accident.” Yugi dragged his attention back to the Egyptian as the other side of Atem’s face was revealed when he brushed back some of his heavy bangs. A large bruise adorned the man’s cheek, spreading from the corner of his eye and across the cheekbone where the skin was split. Yugi blinked as a feeling of dread settled into his stomach. That was no training accident, but he had a horrible hunch he knew where it had actually come from…

Jou wouldn’t fight Atem, _would he?_ Sure they were rivals but Jou wasn’t the bitter type unless it came to Kaiba. Still, the coincidence was hard to ignore. When would that even have happened? Mortification slowly began to sweep over him as he realized exactly why Jou might have confronted the Egyptian. Yugi wished that the chair he sat in could open up and swallow him whole as he stared wide-eyed at Atem who was politely ignoring his general gaping.

“Speaking of falls,” the reporter smiled pleasantly. “You certainly kept everyone on the edge of their seats for the halfpipe finals. A truly international showdown between you and Jounouchi Katsuya.” Atem tilted his head as Yugi watched him. _Was he angry?_ Yugi could hardly tell. The man’s moods were like whiplash. He was flirtatious one second and ignoring Yugi’s entire existence the next.

“It’s an honor to get to compete against athletes like Katsuya,” Atem replied without any malice. At least everyone could play civil for the cameras. “Keeps us all at the top of our game.”

“As the oldest competitor here for your sport you’ve talked about retiring from the Olympics,” the reporter continued. “Is this the year?”

Atem shrugged, his jewelry clinking faintly. “Perhaps, we will have to see what the future holds. Have to leave something to the rest of them,” he teased as he jerked his head in Yugi’s direction. Embarrassingly, Yugi felt himself begin to blush.

“Have you had the opportunity to catch any skating?” The reporter asked as she skillfully steered the conversation while the first athletes began to take the ice below for warm-ups.

Atem nodded. “Oh we watched Motou,” he chuckled as he reached out to rest a hand on Yugi’s nearest shoulder. “Some of the things he can do on ice, it’s ah— _what’s the word?_ —mesmerising.” Yugi stared as the man stumbled over his English, trying to reconcile the words he was hearing with the fact that they had stripped eachother out of their clothes only a few hours after his performance.

Yugi blinked as Atem released his shoulder, barely catching the follow up questions that the reporter was asking. Eventually they were ushered off the stage as the official announcers began their job, herded politely into one of the private boxes that sat above the ice. Yugi realized he had probably just played filler while they waited for a much more famous athlete to boost their ratings. He wanted to be mad, but he supposed he should at least be flattered by the invitation.

The door to the small room clicked shut behind Yugi as Atem stood over by the railing. He was leaning down over the edge to watch the opening laps around the rink as the competitor's names were called. The Egyptian turned as the door closed, fixing Yugi with a calm look of acknowledgement. Before Yugi knew what was happening words were tumbling out of his mouth.

“Did you and Jou fight? _I’m going to kill him_ —I understand the irony of that here but I’m actually going to kill him this time,” Yugi spilled out as the other man watched him. The corner of Atem’s mouth curved up in apparent amusement.

“I don’t know that I would call it a fight,” Atem replied as he stepped away from the view and towards Yugi. “I was on the floor for most of it.” The bright color of his bangs contrasted sharply with the purple bruise over one side of his face.

“That doesn’t make it okay!” Yugi objected as Atem stopped in front of him. “I’m so sorry Jou’s not usually—” he was interrupted abruptly as Atem brought a finger up to Yugi’s lips to silence him momentarily.

“I believe...” Atem began as his dark eyes trailed over Yugi’s face. “It is I who should apologize. I'm not very good at this kind of thing, and I'm afraid I let you down.”  

Yugi narrowed his eyes enough that Atem took the hint and withdrew his hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Yugi lied. Well, it was mostly a lie. The man’s changing interests were very confusing.

“What are you doing for dinner?” Atem asked, flipping the subject abruptly. He wasn’t _that_ much taller than Yugi and yet he seemed so up close where his warm cologne lingered. Yugi frowned despite the distraction.

“What?” Yugi countered. “ _Are you asking me out?_ ” Atem shrugged as he ducked his head, staring down at his boots.

“Not very well, I’m afraid...” Atem replied as he glanced up from underneath his bangs.

Yugi opened and closed his mouth at least twice without saying anything. _Was he serious?_  After all that, Atem wanted to take him on a _date?_  Atem never went on dates. At least as far as Yugi's teenage obsession with him had ever uncovered. Eventually he sighed. “Usually people start that question by asking me if I still have that Dark Magician girl costume.”

Atem coughed, sliding one of his hands behind the nape of his neck. “I’m sure—” he said, though it came out a little strangled.

“You seemed pretty cozy with that blonde guy anyway,” Yugi muttered as he crossed his arms. Sure it sounded a little childish when he heard it out loud, but it was true.

“Malik?” Atem asked. Yugi shrugged, uncomfortable with the amusement making its way onto the Egyptian’s features. “Yugi,” he laughed as Yugi scowled. “Malik is my cousin. A brat to be sure, but definitely my cousin.”

“Ah,” Yugi responded. So much for not feeling childish, then. The announcers began to call positions in the background, signaling the beginning of the event. Yugi really needed to get back down to the ice.

“Think about it?” Atem asked as he stepped back. The man appeared to be a little crestfallen. “I’m here for a few more days.”

Yugi nodded, struggling to swallow past the lump in his throat. The snowboarder was so incredibly handsome. Yugi really wanted nothing more than to be wrapped around him again, that accent murmuring in his ear between the sheets. Yugi bit his lip as Atem turned to leave. _One date couldn’t hurt_ , right? He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been on a date.

 

* * *

 

“Really?” Atem asked as he picked up the half-empty bottle of wine the waiter had left at their table. “Never?” The snowboarder had shed his jacket to reveal a gray shirt for the evening, his wild hair still hanging loose over the healing bruise.

Yugi shrugged in response as he allowed the man to pour him another glass. “More of a skier, actually.” He said with a small smile.

“Ouch,” Atem winced as he lifted his own drink and took a long sip. “That breaks my heart, Yugi.” The gold medalist put on an adorable pout as Yugi smothered a small chuckle with the back of his hand.

“Trust me,” Yugi replied. He did his best to pretend like he didn't notice that people were pointing and whispering in the direction of their secluded bar table as they carried on. The dimly lit private section afforded them as much privacy as they could expect. “There’s nothing you can say that Jou hasn’t tried to already.” He was very well versed in the arguments.

Atem tilted his head to one side as the corner of his mouth twitched. “Sad,” he began. “I do enjoy a little coaching, and I’ve been told I’m decent one-on-one...” Yugi felt his face pinken, the rich sugar of Atem’s accent tingling somewhere deep in Yugi’s stomach as the innuendo burned between them.

Atem leaned in slightly over the table as if he intended to whisper something. “I’m also getting rather used to besting Jounouchi,” he winked. Yugi’s almost choked on air at the remark. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or smack the smug look off the snowboarder’s face. Atem sat back, taking another long pull from his glass. Yugi bit his lip as he sized up his opponent properly. _Well, two could play at that game…_

Before a retort has formed on Yugi’s tongue the unattended stool next to Atem scraped against the floor and Yugi’s attention shifted as a young boy with long black hair climbed onto the seat without hesitation. The boy, who was certainly not old enough to be in bar, grinned in apparent defiance as Atem fixed the newcomer with an unenthusiastic look. “Hey Yugi!” Mokuba Kaiba chirped as he settled his elbows on the table.

“Mokie…” Atem began as he set his drink back down.

“Hi,” Yugi smiled politely. He’d certainly met Mokuba’s infamous older brother on a handful of occasions, but wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the younger Kaiba. The boy beamed back at him under his messy hair.

“I thought you were going to stay with Malik,” Atem observed as the boy reluctantly tore his attention from Yugi.

“You left me with _Malik_ ,” Mokuba rolled his eyes as he reached for Atem’s glass. The snowboarder dragged it out of his reach and the boy frowned as he continued to grasp for it. “He met a very large German man three minutes in and paid me fourty dollars to leave them alone.” Yugi raised an eyebrow as Atem groaned. “Malik totally has your room key by the way,” Mokuba added. “They’re gonna do it in your bed!” Atem pinched the bridge of his nose in anguish, letting out a string of what could only be curses in a foreign language.

Yugi giggled in spite of himself, failing to smother his amusement. Mokuba at least seemed seemed quite pleased with the situation. Atem lowered his hand with a scowl, knocking back the remainder of his drink with a grimace. “Malik is incorrigible,” Atem muttered as he finished off the glass with more force than was necessary.

“And a shameless slut!” Mokuba added cheerfully. Yugi choked on his own wine at the comment.

“ _Mokuba,_ ” Atem groaned.  

“What?” Mokuba asked, glancing around in a feigned obliviousness. “Seto says it.”

“You cannot repeat everything your brother says,” Atem sighed as he reached for the bottle of wine again. He uncorked the top and poured the generous remainder into his glass. Mokuba pouted as Atem once again held the glass out of his reach.

“Not far,” he whined. “He can drink!” Mokuba objected as he gestured to Yugi.

Atem rolled his eyes. “Yes, because Yugi is old enough to drink in this country— _you are not!_ ”

Mokuba glanced over at Yugi while he continued to wrestle with the Egyptian. “You could do better,” Mokuba told Yugi. “Atem is terrible at dates.”

“Perhaps the German guy has a friend…” Yugi mused as he took another sip and Atem managed to finally fend off the youngest Kaiba.

“No respect,” Atem grumbled as the boy finally grinned and slipped off the stool to make his was back through the bar entirely unsupervised.

“I think he’s cute,” Yugi said as Atem gave a non-committal hum in response.

“Well,” the snowboarder sighed as he fished a wad of bills out of his wallet and dropped them into the table. “Shall we find something else to entertain us before I have to kill my cousin?”

Since Yugi hadn’t been yet, they wandered through the dark and snowy streets of the Olympic village towards the center square. The streetlights glowed around them, illuminating the various little shops and centers that lined the walkways. Plenty of heads turned as they passed by other people, athletes and tourists alike. He figured Atem was used to that by now, since it didn’t seem to phase him in the least.

“So, two more events...” Atem prompted as he broke the easy silence between them.

Yugi nodded. “I hate the gap,” he confessed. “I’ve never wanted to compete already so badly.” The three days until his next event felt like torture.

Atem clicked his tongue slowly as he stuck close to Yugi’s side when they entered the crowded square. “Don’t be too impatient, you’ll miss it when it’s all over.”

“Are you really going to retire?” Yugi asked. Atem was certainly the oldest of most of the competing snowboarders, but he still seemed so young to Yugi. He supposed most athletes had to find new lives to live once they passed the games down to younger generations. That would be him too, someday.

Atem glanced down at him, snowflakes clinging to his long lashes. “It’s probably about time,” he replied. “You don’t know anyone who needs a snowboarding coach, do you?” Yugi laughed as he elbowed the older man playfully. He stopped when he noticed just how much attention they were attracting. People were openly staring as they walked and Yugi caught more than one cell phone pointed in their direction. It was unnerving to say the least. “You’ll get used to it,” Atem assured him quietly as Yugi faltered.

“They only care because they think I’m with you…” Yugi whispered as they passed a cluster of gawking tourists.

“Oh Yugi,” Atem smiled as his heavy earrings glinted. “You don’t know how wrong you are.” Yugi blushed as he looked away. “What about that one tomorrow?” Atem continued. “What do they call it? Doubles?”

Yugi shook his head as they came to a halt before the enormous cauldron that held the Olympic flame. The warmth felt pleasant on Yugi’s face as they watched the fire dance. “I don’t skate pairs,” he replied as he huddled closer to the Egyptian.

“No?” Atem asked as he slung his arm over Yugi’s shoulder in a half hearted attempt to conceal Yugi from some of the more determined amateur photographers.

“Just never found the right partner,” Yugi murmured as he stared up into the torch. “Plus I’m a little small,” he shrugged.

Atem glanced down as he chuckled, the sound reverberating through Yugi’s own chest. “I can understand that,” he grinned. Yugi smiled too, leaning in as the Egyptian ducked his head to kiss him briefly. Someone near them sequeled rather obviously.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Yugi asked. Atem laughed gently at the joke as he slid his arm down to entwine their fingers together.  
  
“ _Please_ ,” he echoed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just like that my little oneshot that got way out of hand is over! I think this is it for the story though I may write an epilogue someday. 
> 
> As always, you can find me on Tumblr: https://wildcranberry.tumblr.com
> 
> Let me know what you thought!


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